Grove Wood Primary School is a mainstream primary school in Rayleigh, Essex, for children aged 4 to 11. In January 2026, 56 of its 630 pupils (8.9%) were getting SEN support and 18 (2.9%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 4–11
- 630 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state primary schools across England and in Essex.
8.9% get SEN support
56 of 630 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
2.9% have an EHC plan
18 of 630 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Autism16
- Speech, language and communication16
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia16
- Social, emotional and mental health10
- Physical disability8
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream primary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 630 (places for 630)
- Headteacher
- Mr Richard Green
- Part of
- Grove Wood Academy Trust
- Free school meals
- 8.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Essex
- School reference (URN)
- 141052
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Essex council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, December 2024; school remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next (September 2023)
Inspected in December 2024. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Early yearsOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, September 2023).
Contact and getting there
Grove Road, Rayleigh, SS6 8UA
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Glebe Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 1.4 miles
- Fairways Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.6 miles
- Cedar Hall School Special school · Ages 4–16 2.0 miles
- Kingsdown School Special school · Ages 3–14 2.0 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about Grove Wood Primary School
How many pupils at Grove Wood Primary School have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 56 of the 630 pupils (8.9%) were getting SEN support and 18 (2.9%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state primary schools it is 15.4% and 4.1%.
What are the most common needs at Grove Wood Primary School?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are autism (16 pupils), speech, language and communication needs (16 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (16 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Grove Wood Primary School?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Grove Wood Primary School?
Through Essex council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Grove Wood Primary School?
You can ask for Grove Wood Primary School to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Grove Wood Primary School have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Glebe Primary School, about 1.4 miles away.
Where is Grove Wood Primary School?
Grove Road, Rayleigh, SS6 8UA, in Essex.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.